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A Creative Strategy for Campaigns That Fly

This captivating direct mail campaign was designed to invite print managers to attend a special launch event. A remarkable 57% of those invited actually attended!

BACKGROUNDCase Study 1a
Fuji Xerox New Zealand (FXNZ) had an objective to build up its brand awareness in the promising wide format printer market. A comprehensive business plan was developed which involved all aspects of a go-to-market strategy.

The strategy included a “Wide War I” campaign that would bring over 150 potential customers and print manager decision-makers to a special launch event. The objective of the event was to initiate sales and educate the audience and help FXNZ be perceived as an innovative supplier of wide format printing technology and products.

CHALLENGE
A major challenge was that the target audience that would purchase a wide format printer did not perceive FXNZ as anything beyond a copier company. FXNZ knew it would be a hard task to convince this community to give up their valuable time and attend a launch event and so the campaign had to be very convincing and appealing.
Traditionally, it has been difficult to get print shop personnel to attend functions such as product launches. This was due to the fact that most such businesses are owner-operated and typically difficult to get them to attend events.

SOLUTION
FXNZ knew they needed to grab this audience’s attention with an extremely creative invitation that was both clever and intriguing. XMPie PersonalEffect software was used as their cross media marketing tool for creating this campaign that integrated print, SMS, email and PURLs.
The overall strategy of the campaign was to send out a creatively disruptive direct marketing piece to a database of wide format printer prospects and have these recipients attend a launch event. The main theme of the event was the idea of “Wide War I – The Battle of Bigger Borders.” Using vintage aircraft imagery from various 1930s and 40s aircraft and pilots, this theme was carried throughout the campaign including the direct mail piece, website and event materials.
The DM piece was sent in an old-style howitzer tube and included various items such as personalized posters printed on different wide format devices. These pieces showed the print capabilities of the devices that Fuji Xerox was promoting. The invitation included a map showing the event location and the customer’s unique PURL. The web site also used the same theme and was accessed via the PURL where customers could register for the event and select their personalized balsa wood airplane that was to be distributed to the attendees at the event. After registering the customer was sent a personalized HTML email confirming their attendance.
 The event was held at New Zealand’s MOTAT aviation museum and was hosted by a costumed actor who played the part of a Second World War pilot. During the event, customers had great fun hurling their personalized planes and getting a chance to win some prizes.